


Pegasus B snippet

by raven_lore



Category: Stargate Atlantis, Stargate SG-1
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-11-15
Updated: 2009-11-15
Packaged: 2017-10-02 21:50:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raven_lore/pseuds/raven_lore
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Part of the Pegasus B universe created on livejournal by troyswann</p><p>This is for tafkarfanfic, who asked for Sam/Rodney in the first place giving me inspiration, and then she even betaed her own present. This story improved a lot thanks to her and, if you like it, she is the one you should be thanking too. Any remaining mistakes are just my fault.</p>
    </blockquote>





	Pegasus B snippet

**Author's Note:**

> Part of the Pegasus B universe created on livejournal by troyswann
> 
> This is for tafkarfanfic, who asked for Sam/Rodney in the first place giving me inspiration, and then she even betaed her own present. This story improved a lot thanks to her and, if you like it, she is the one you should be thanking too. Any remaining mistakes are just my fault.

The lot is dark and silent; no one around, but shadows and her own thoughts. Sam is standing by her car when, oddly enough, her sister-in-law's voice echoes through her mind.

'Don't stay here. It's not safe.'

Sam closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. Still, she doesn't move.

Francine would think that. Her brother's wife would be afraid of dark, empty parking lots. She's not trained to defend herself. She doesn't imagine that you can be hurt more deeply in broad light.

_Her fingers are shaking and clumsy while she undoes the button of his dress blues. She slides the jacket off of his shoulders and then Janet is there by his other side, rolling up his sleeve. Sam looks at the needle, Janet's hands, the gold eagles on his jacket; anywhere but at his eyes. She tries not to think of the gun she's just taken from his unresponding hands. Behind her the front door stands open, sunlight slanting through it into the hallway, coloring everything in surreal whiteness._

Sam hopes Francine will never find out the truth, that nothing will ever crumble her world of blacks and pinks, in which strong men never break down, leaving a sudden void that you, unprepared, must fill.

_"Fuck you, Carter."_

"Major?"

The voice is uncertain and Sam idly wonders how he can sound so unsure and utterly smug at the same time. She wonders where he's come out of and why he's there. She's confident he hasn't been there a moment before and, considering he's staying at the SGC until she'll be ready to take back all of her projects, he has no reason at all to be in the parking lot. Surprised. She should be surprised by his presence; his voice breaking through her thoughts should have startled her. She looks for it inside herself, but comes up with empty hands. She doubts she will ever be surprised again. She lacks the energy.

Behind her, feet shuffle on the gravel ground. He's getting nervous.

Sam turns slowly, opening her eyes only when they're face to face.

He's never been silent for so long, not to her knowledge at least, and suddenly she wants him to speak, to babble, to be all knowing and irritating as per usual, because in his silence there's too much to be heard.

Instead, true to his most annoying self, he keeps looking at her, forehead slightly wrinkled in a concerned expression. Silent.

If he's not going to speak, she decides she'll do it. But when she opens her mouth air rushes inside her and all the words flee away, betraying her. She hates the naked frailty that's parading in her eyes. She hates her weakness. She's supposed to be strong now. To be in command. She is not supposed to show the truth to anyone, apart, maybe, for Janet. But Janet isn't there now. She is busy taking care of the Colonel.

He looks away slowly, his movement drawing back her attention. She can read it on his face: he's considering a quick escape. His whole body tenses minutely, readying itself; relief and panic fight for dominance inside her.

She doesn't want him to go.

She doesn't want him to stay.

She can't discern what would be better for her.

A moment later he turns back, taking the choice out of her hands. The frown deepens in a more determined expression, he presses his lips together and then she can't tell what's showing on his face any longer, not while he's hugging her.

She can still perceive his hesitancy, read it in his stillness, while he squeezes her tightly, as if believing that mere force will prove her his support more than touch itself.

Sam stays still. Her eyes open, blindly focused on a point beyond his shoulder. She's not breathing.

A minute passes and he changes his posture once more. He's giving up. Any moment now he will let her go and try something else. Or maybe he will just walk away.

An intense blue fills her eyes and it takes her a moment to realize that she's looking at his shirt, her forehead on his shoulder. She relaxes against him, finally accepting what he's offering. His hand sets broad and warm between her shoulder blades. She's breathing again.

Time goes by. She doesn't know exactly how long they stay like that. She concentrates on breathing and letting go.

In and out.

In and out.

When she raises her head she is centered once more. She still feels like crap and maybe she'll cry herself into oblivion once back in the safety of her own house, but she's not lost any longer.

She turns to look at his face and he surprises her; clearly she has been wrong to believe nothing will ever surprise her again. What she sees in his eyes is unguarded and almost makes her want to kiss him.  
Almost.

His eyes widen in understanding and he steps back quickly, almost tripping over his own feet.

He straightens and looks her up intently, before nodding once, shortly, as if satisfied with what he has found there. Then he turns and walks back towards the elevators.

***

The next time they meet, he is his usual obnoxious self, reminding anyone who care to listen and many who don't care at all, how indispensable and brilliant he is. In a few hours, Sam is ready to send him back to some God-forsaken place.

But when he's been holed up in a lab for ten hours, working on a way to save Teal'c and Jonas and bring them back safely to her, a marine marches in holding a tray laden with lemon-free food. He barely notices and doesn't thank the soldier.

Two days later, though, on his way out of the SGC, he stops by her office. His "Thank you" is barely audible and, before she might answer, he nods to her and walks away. As annoying as he still is, she finds herself wishing he could stay a bit longer, before going back to McMurdo.

***

Elizabeth has already gone through the gate, the Colonel by her side. Sam keeps looking while the members of the expedition pass through it one after the other, hoping they will all be safe.

Then he is there by the ramp, ready to go, but at the last moment he turns and looks back at her. Their eyes meet and he grins to her, his face lighting up like his precious ZPM and making Sam's lips curve up. This time she is the one to nod, while he turns and shoulders his way through the other scientists: Jackson, Dumais, Beckett.

A moment later he's gone.


End file.
